Android Q beta

Now that the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro are getting some circulation with consumers, it's time to release the floodgates and let the community do what it wants with the phones — that means letting developers develop. So, the company has released Android Q Beta builds for both devices and is in the process of pushing out kernels for each one.

Niantic Support has released a statement on Twitter that warns Scanner [REDACTED] players who are testing the Android Q beta may trigger a ban. It would also appear that Scanner [REDACTED] has not been updated since its release last November, and there is currently no word from Niantic whether or not this issue will be fixed in the future.

After the Google I/O keynote, there was some confusion about how many devices would be getting Android Q Beta 3. A total of 21 was given originally, but that didn't include the newly announced Pixel 3a and 3a XL even though we'd separately been told they were going to get it. That was later confirmed, but they've now been removed.

We've already taken a look at one of the new feature flags in the Android Q Beta 1 — a buggy but potentially very useful native screen recording function — but there are several others worth mentioning too. Some of them bring about barely noticeable changes, but a few are actually pretty interesting.

The Google I/O 2019 keynote was, as usual, chock full of cool announcements, and among them was mention of a lofty new goal: Project Mainline. The idea picks up where Treble left off, furthering Android's modularization and making it easier for updates to change core OS components — mitigating the effect of the big, bad Fragmentation monster.

We here at AP are champing at the bit waiting for news on Android Q. Those of us who plan to install the beta have our Pixels ready, eagerly anticipating some kind of announcement from Google. Meanwhile, it looks like the company is planning to introduce a dedicated app to submit feedback for those of us who will take the plunge. Appropriately named Android Beta Feedback, this will be the preferred means by which you can report bugs, submit feature requests, and other notes for the Android team.

It has been less than a month since Google released the first Android Q beta, and it's already time for Beta 2. The new version is rolling out today to Pixel phones, and it brings some notable changes. Developers will be dealing with some privacy-focused permission changes, and everyone will be equal parts interested and perplexed by "Bubbles."

Those of you who usually swipe your notifications away to the right (like me) may have taken some time to notice that expelling them to the left is no longer an option in Android Q. As is this case on some Chinese phones, swiping left gives you only snooze and alert settings. Thankfully, it looks like this is going to be customizable by the time the final Q release comes around.

Beta registration for Android Q is going live as we speak. Some have already been able to register their devices and receive OTAs, while others are still seeing the old landing page. Either way, if mucking about in ADB or unlocking your bootloader doesn't appeal to you, this method is a bit easier.

After a bit of hand-wringing (sorry about that) Android Q is finally, actually here. This latest version may still lack a formal, dessert-themed name, but it's now available for all Pixel phones — including the nearly three-year-old 2016 Pixel and Pixel XL. Both factory images and sideloadable OTAs are live.